I’ve been talking about resuming writing, and now it’s time to reveal my latest publication!

The fine fellows at Purple Toga Publications have set out to issue speculative anthologies. The first is dedicated to the meaning of care and compassion, to imagining worlds where taking time off work to care for others is not a career suicide (like many women feel today), where the duty of care between leaders and their communities is more than lip service, and where the merit of compassion is recognised.

I have contributed two stories to this anthology! More details below, but here are the things you need to know first:

The book will be released on May 12th – Mother’s Day, 2024 – and is available for pre-order through the book purveyor of your choice! See for example: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, et alia, in both ebook and paperback formats.

Second, we’re looking for ARC readers!

If you’d like to have a taste of this inspiring collection early (and hopefully leave a review), you can grab a copy through StoryOrigin!

Now to entice you further…

The anthology collects 14 stories from 11 authors, many whose works were reviewed on this blog as I love their writing.

Some of the stories in the anthology include:

• Assorted gods (old and new)
• A criminal trial and shadowy government agencies
• Colony ships and interstellar travel
• Tangible benefits on the merit of care and compassion
• Fantasy social justice
• Artificial Intelligence (of various flavours)
• Utopian and Dystopian futures

Can you guess which themes I’ve contributed?

Let me first say, that this is such an important topic, that we had an academic introduction by Dr Hila Fogel-Yaari, and the Foreword was written by Allyson Maynard-Gibson, K.C., a past president of the International Women’s Forum.

If you picked ‘old gods’ as a theme I’d write, you’d be correct, but that’s the easy bit. I did indeed write a story about the ancient Roman gods, titled Mountain View. It’s inspired by my love for ancient Rome (which readers of this blog would be familiar with), as well as very personal experiences.

But what about the other story?

Let me first mention the other authors, to help you guess. In alphabetical order:

• Anaïs Chartschenko
• Assaph Mehr
• Cindy Tomamichel
• Douglas Lumsden
• Eric Klein
• Jane Jago
• Joyce C Mandrake
• Kody Boye
• Marie-Hélène Lebeault
• Meir Michael Fogel
• Ulff Lehmann

My second contribution is titled Quantum Monkeys and deals with the use of artificial intelligence, questioning who cares for whom. It presents a possible future based on current technology trends. Where that future is utopian or dystopian is left for you to judge.

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Those of you noticing a lack of Felix, don’t worry! His next adventure — In Victrix — is still under way to be released later this year.

For now, why don’t you help spread the word by getting your own ARC copy, exploring how the future might be a better place if care and compassion were recognised and rewarded, and leave a review? We’d be eternally grateful, and you’d be helping spread the word about better futures.

https://storyoriginapp.com/reviewcopies/1e15022a-ffc4-11ee-9b13-830db51e3b84